How far along are you with your Christmas shopping?

[MissHoneychurch]

I think I got almost all presents. I am early this year :)

How do you do your shopping? Months in advance? December 24th? :D

[Symarip]

1. I'm done

Or I haven't started, depending on how you look at it. I made a deal with the fam some years ago that buying presents when not one of us is below the age of 25 is pointless. So now we don't. Yay!

[MissHoneychurch]

2. Deal is deal

if all agreed to it and it works ... nothing to say against it.

[MorningGlow]

3. Ugh--don't remind me!

I have...let's see...yep, exactly ZERO presents at the moment. And I have a 5 YO to contend with! Doesn't help that he just had a birthday. Gotta see if we kept anything on the reserve list for Santa.

This may seem like a cliche, but for some reason the holiday season snuck up on me this year. I can't believe Thanksgiving is this week!

[MissHoneychurch]

6. What???

He didn't give you a list with his wishes from Santa????

I remember when I was a nanny "my" kid had b.day 6 days before Christmas. Wasn't easy. But he loved Star Wars :D

But you DID buy the turkey :D

[MorningGlow]

10. I know, right?

Every once in a while he'd see an ad on TV or in a catalog and say "I would like that for Christmas" but we don't have an actual list yet.

Jr. loves Star Wars and Legos. Too bad he REALLY likes the Lego Death Star...that costs FOUR HUNDRED BUCKS. Erm, sorry, kid--try again.

No turkey--my aunt does the dinner; we just show up with pies. At least I remembered to buy the apples, pumpkin, and shortening while at the supermarket yesterday!

[MissHoneychurch]

11. 400$ ?????

:wtf:

Who is supposed to pay for that??? Lego is fun and everything, no question, but damn!!!!!


What is it with little boys and Star Wars anyway???

[MorningGlow]

19. Series

This one:



It IS cool, I must admit. But even if we had the money to throw around and the inclination to spoil him that badly, no 5 YO of mine is going to get a present that costs $400, only to lose chunks off of it! Luckily he understands age limits, so when I point out that it's recommended for kids 12 and older, he backs off.

I dunno about little boys and Star Wars, but my kid is suddenly addicted--and he hasn't even seen the movie yet! He loves playing Lego Star Wars on the XBox--always prefers to be Obi-Wan. He thinks Jedis are cool. Who am I to say nay? It's close enough to my pagan belief system that I have to agree with him!
:rofl:

[MissHoneychurch]

23. Hmmmm

how about the first original movie then? If you think it is appropriate for his age and that he is able to understand it. "My" kid was 6 when I became his nanny and he watched it already. He had some Star Wars toys, Star Wars collectibles. And I gave him a calendar and a game. It was a hit :D

[MorningGlow]

28. That's the plan

Start with IV (the original from 1977) and go from there. I'm an old school Star Wars fan (saw the original at the movies 11 times when I was a kid), so I'm up for a viewing. But every time I ask him if he wants to see the movie, he says "Later." Same thing with Raiders of the Lost Ark--he's obsessed with the Legos and the storyline and the character of Indiana Jones, but it took me forever to get him to sit down and watch the movie. As it was we only got part way into it and he asked me to turn it off and promised to watch the rest "later". :shrug: This morning he admitted that the part where we left off was a little scary--no, not anything violent--instead it was when Marion disappeared and Indy thinks she's dead. Sensitive kid--he got a bit upset that Indy was sad. I reminded him that Marion's all right and we'll see her again soon, so he's kind of interested in picking up where we left off...except that would mean postponing another round of the Lego Star Wars video game, and we can't have THAT! Gotta do that first!
:rofl:

[MissHoneychurch]

30. LOL

Ah yes, Indiana Jones ... I have a memory of that too. Monday evening my guest mom wasn't home and it was pizza night. JB watched Indiana Jones. His dad was OK with it while eating. I didn't mind too much either. But then came this scene with the monkey heads and snakes (don't ask me which part it is) and I had to tell him to turn it off. No way I eat my dinner with those images ... YUCK!!!!
He actually turned it off :)

:rofl:

[MorningGlow]

48. ROFL!

Yeah, I can imagine! We're still on the first movie (monkey heads was in No. 2, IIRC, right?), so I already warned him about the faces-melting-off scene--told him I was going to fast-forward through that. He said it wouldn't scare him. Yeah right! I'm not taking any chances!

[DarkTirade]

4. Haven't even started.

:P

[MissHoneychurch]

7. You got one more months

it ought to be possible :D

[DarkTirade]

18. First I gotta find out what everybody wants.

Also, I gotta find out who's gonna actually make it this year. I hope my stepbrother can, I haven't seen him in about a year now since I moved. :(

We were all living in the same city, then within a few months of each other, my older brother and I both moved up north. So we'll be doing Christmas at his house in VT. I know my parents and little sister will probably make it, but I don't know about my stepbrother.

[MissHoneychurch]

22. So you get them what they want

instead of picking out something. Good thinking.

I hope your whole familiy can come together :hug:

[csziggy]

9. Me either - but I give cash or gift certificates to locally owned stores

None of this running around trying to figure out what each person wants/needs. In fact, my side of the family put a moratorium on gifts for those of us who are older a couple of years ago. We just get together and spend time with each other. The younger generation gets cash presents and my thrift shopper sister gives all kinds of weird things to everybody so we are not totally giftless. But no more spending tons of money for crap none of us really need.

I may give away some of the Obama yard signs and posters I collected from HQ when they were cleaning it out - and tell everybody that is representative of the new hope I helped give the country by working on the campaign.

[DarkTirade]

20. I like doing interesting and quirky gifts if possible.

Two years ago I managed to, before looking at anyone's list, get something for two family members that was actually a combination of two things on their list. :P For my stepbrother, he's a beer fanatic and he likes cooking. So I got him a couple bottles of this beer bread mix. They look like big beer bottles, but they're full of the flour and bread mix. And lo and behold... a few days later I saw his wish list, and both beer and cooking stuff were on there. :) For my mom, she collects elephant statues. And she wanted an air freshener for her office. Without even seeing her list and knowing she wanted that I had already bought one of those soapstone scented oil holders... shaped like an elephant.

[csziggy]

46. When I was younger, I used to hunt out unique gifts for each person

That was before both families had population explosions and before all my injuries and age caught up with me. If I did not have presents by the weekend before Thanksgiving I would go to the Crafts Fair given to benefit the local history museum and find the rest of the gifts.

But after several major surgeries and with bad knees, crafts fairs are a thing of the past for me. And it is a relief to not get the crap presents I got from my dear husband's family. The "best" gifts were the plastic junk from his sister that works at Wal-Mart. The worst was the gift certificate from an upscale department store I had boycotted for over 20 years due to crappy service. In between was a bunch of useless junk that simply added clutter and that I could not give away at yard sales. I appreciate that they tried, but would rather not have to deal with the junk.

OTOH, the oddball stuff my sister finds at thrift stores is always interesting, even if some of it is junk. And she is not offended if I make fun of the items - often they are meant as jokes.

[derby378]

5. I only purchased one gift so far

Money's been extraordinarily tight, even with a recent raise. Maybe next month I can start buying gifts, but I don't think I'm gonna be part of that 5am crowd the morning after Thanksgiving. Yeesh.

[MissHoneychurch]

8. I'm always amazed

people can actually move after a Thanksgiving dinner :shrug:

[derby378]

26. Here in Dallas, we go nuts...

At one of our shopping malls, we even had a travelling version of The Price Is Right, complete with an authentic Showcase Showdown wheel (which I got to spin, but won nothing).

[texas1928]

12. We know what we are getting everybody, just have to go and get it.

I get to go shopping for my wife, probably in a couple of weeks or so.
Need to get it done soon.

[MissHoneychurch]

14. I think knowing what to get

is a big plus. Makes it so much easier. Instead of running around and asking oneself "What to get so-and-so?"

[texas1928]

17. Also got my stuff for my secret santa person at work ordered.

SO I am way ahead, on everything.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

13. Started this week-end...One gift purchased...off to a good start

I like to wait until after Thanksgiving. Got a head start this year.

[MissHoneychurch]

15. That is a good start

Can you believe it, I actually have already my present for AirmensMom :D

[Tuesday Afternoon]

21. hmmmm...

curious...what could it be :) :shrug:

Isn't the mystery the fun part of CHristmas:D

[MissHoneychurch]

25. It sure is

and to see how the people react to their gifts :D

Check your pm in a minute

[Tuesday Afternoon]

31. got it

;) She will love it :loveya:

[MissHoneychurch]

34. Oh that is the most fun part

and to see how the people react to their gifts :D

[redqueen]

16. Haven't even started.

Gotta wait for my bonus to come in first.

[MissHoneychurch]

36. That makes sense

[Bertha Venation]

24. Not shopping except for Mrs. V.'s grand-newphew and -niece.

The rest of our families know we love them.

We are going to FL in January; that's our gift to ourselves.

[MissHoneychurch]

32. Where in FL will you go?

that is a nice gift for you and Mrs. V. :D

[Bertha Venation]

49. Hollywood Beach. I think it's about an hour north of Miami.

It's wonderful. :)

:hi:

[tjwmason]

27. I take a day off work in December and do most of it then

I haven't even thought about it yet - which is bad.

[MissHoneychurch]

29. tj!!!!!

what a nice surprise to see you!!! How are you doing????

:hug: :bounce: :loveya:

[tjwmason]

58. I'm very well indeed thanks

Floating around here a bit, though not as much as I used to.

I do hope that all's well with you.

:hug:

[mnhtnbb]

33. Almost done. I try to to get finished by Thanksgiving--but won't happen this year.

[MissHoneychurch]

35. You are even better than me

:D

[mnhtnbb]

52. Not better. I hate the crowds. I never go day after Thanksgiving and try to avoid weekends.

[Lady Freedom]

37. Not a bit of shopping done.

That is because I have no money.

[MissHoneychurch]

39. I'm sorry

having no money sucks, no matter what time of the year it is. :hug:

May 2009 be a way better year for you.

[malta blue]

38. I have purchased and received Little MB's big gift.

I have put little things on the amazon wish list and will order them in the next week.

[MissHoneychurch]

40. Ohhh ... the most important one is taken care of

:D

[AlCzervik]

41. i have one gift so far.

shopping makes me cry.

[MissHoneychurch]

42. Why?

frustration?

[AlCzervik]

45. i really hate shopping and i'm so sick of giving gift cards but the people i have

to shop for are impossible i tell you, impossible!

[FloridaJudy]

43. Done.

Did it all in an eBay/bookstore orgy last week. I hope they like earrings and/or books.

[MissHoneychurch]

44. I know I would

both actually :D

[FloridaJudy]

55. I just ran out to Bealls

And bought a bunch of cheap cotton scarves/bandannas to wrap the gifts. I figured this out a few years ago: gift wrap = $2 - cotton bandannas = $1 each. It's a no-brainer which I'm going to use to wrap the gifts, and if the recipients don't like the bandannas they can always use them as dust rags, handkerchiefs or dish clothes. Plus it's Monday, and I get the geezer discount.

Cheapskates rule.

[spinbaby]

47. I'll probably do it on-line next week

Our Christmas shopping needs are pretty limited. And I'll pick up a few odds and ends from the Christmas market, of course--I'm still on schedule for Frankfurt in spite of the fact that most of my family seems determined to be hospitalized before the holidays.

Our most expensive and complicated gift this year will be a fully-loaded electronic picture frame.

[MissHoneychurch]

51. The Christmas Market in Frankfurt is nice

and I know a couple good places to get Glühwein :)

[dig a pony]

50. Two weeks from Never..not going to this year and it will be heavenly

I grow to dislike Christmas more and more each year. I am so not a fan of exchanging presents in the first place. It's far more fun to receive a gift unexpectantly, rather than the tit-for-tat deal that the holiday requires. I also am not good at picking the right stuff for people and it's embarrassing to know that people don't appreciate my good intentions. I even started getting gift certificates for my family and got grief about THAT! So it's over with and good riddance, I say. I am sorry if I am raining on your parade, but just a reminder that not all people want to buy presents, and some cannot afford them.

The thing that bothers me the most is how early it has started. It's offensive that the retailers pounced right after Halloween, and then the public seemed to follow suit soon afterwards. I miss my childhood in the '60s and '70s when trees went up in the middle of December and not before Thanksgiving! And the lights used to be a magical, once-in-a-year spectacle instead of year-round. People, more is NOT better! It just dilutes the experience:(

[Rabrrrrrr]

53. Done - we're unplugging from making bricks for Pharaoh, and aren't buying gifts.

We're giving to charity and other places that need the money.

And, on a selfish not, I'm also taking a bit of the savings to reward myself with an even more expensive cognac than I usually get at Christmas....

[MissMillie]

54. I don't do much shopping

of the 3 blankets I am making, one is done, one is nearly done and one is half done.

besides that, a few stocking stuffers and something nice for my son.

[Xipe Totec]

56. Done!

Spent $0.00

[mvd]

57. Half done

Not much more to get, though.